At a very young age, Helio Gracie learned traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu techniques
from his older brother, Carlos. In the late 1920s, he began to modify these techniques
to accommodate his frail physique with the objective of developing a system that
would enable him to defend himself against larger opponents. After years of refinement,
he proved his art's effectiveness by routinely defeating larger and stronger
opponents, some of whom outweighed him by as much as 100 pounds. As a result, Helio's
techniques quickly became the new expression of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil and set the
stage for a worldwide revolution in martial arts.

Although Gracie or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the most effective martial art on the planet,
it is a relatively young martial art. Realizing that the key to global dissemination
of pure Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the development of a formalized curriculum, the Gracie
Academy dedicated several years to organizing all the techniques in the most logical
sequence based on their complexity and usefulness in combat. Furthermore, we conduct
all group classes with the utmost concern for safety, and we demand that all students
treat each other respectfully regardless of skill level, gender, race, nationality,
or creed. At the Gracie Academy we don't teach people how to fight. We give people
confidence so they don't need to fight.

Gracie Combatives is the official beginner program of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. In this program, students learn the 36 most important techniques in a fun, safe, and cooperative training environment.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a way of life. The principles of discipline, patience, efficiency, and control are the keys to success on and off the mat. Whether your a dedicated practitioner of the art or just a fan of the Gracie way, the casual wear, training gear, and accessories in the Gracie Store will remind you to keep it real at all times. With all Gracie Store purchases, your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you're not 100% happy with your purchase, simply send it back and we'll replace it or refund your money (as long as you promise not to choke us out!). Select a category below to begin browsing, and then feel free to order online or give us a call at 1-877-472-2430 (Monday - Friday, 10am to 6pm PST) and we will gladly assist you over the phone. If you have a question about the status of your order feel free to shoot us an e-mail at
store@gracieacademy.com.

Although Gracie Jiu-Jitsu consists of over 600 techniques, studies of the fights conducted by members of the Gracie Family have shown that 36 techniques have been used more often, and with greater success, than all the others combined. Originally developed for the U.S. Army, Gracie Combatives is the only course that entirely dedicated to the mastery of these 36 essential techniques. After students perfects all the Gracie Combatives techniques individually, they qualify to participate in weekly Reflex Development Classes were they learn how to execute them in various combinations. Once a student masters all the techniques in every combination, they qualify to be tested for promotion to blue belt.

Once you complete each of the 23 Gracie Combatives lessons two times, you will qualify to participate in the Reflex Development Classes. In these lessons we use a revolutionary training process called Dynamic Reflex Development™ to build your reflexes in the execution of all 36 techniques in every possible combination and at various levels of intensity.

The Little Champs program is for kids 5-7 years old (we offer private lessons for children ages 3-4). Using our time-tested “Gracie Games,” we teach the Little Champs basic self-defense techniques while instilling the foundational principles of leverage and control. The secret to the success of this program is that we make the lessons so fun that the kids beg for more! Once a child masters all ten Gracie Games, they advance to the Jr. Grapplers program.

In the Jr. Grapplers program, we focus on 33 non-violent self-defense techniques that teach children to “neutralize and negotiate” with the bullies. Verbal assertiveness strategies are a major portion of this curriculum. A child needs absolutely no experience to start, and we guarantee a noticeable increase in your child’s confidence within a few weeks!

Ron James Hughes

Ronnie is a former PTI (Physical Training Instructor) of Her Majesties Royal Naval PT specialist branch. He passed top of his qualifying class with highest honors & distinction & served over a decade for his country. During this time he trained personnel ranging from operational Royal Marines & Commanding Officers through to new recruits & civilians worldwide
He has had the highest honor & privilege of training under members of the Gracie Jiu-jitsu family, Rener & Ryron Gracie at the Gracie Academy HQ in Torrance, California where he gained his certification as a Gracie Jiu Jitsu Instructor in Combatives, Bullyproof (kids self defense) & Gracie Survival Tactics for military & law enforcement personnel.
A keen advocate of psychological motivation he is a certified practitioner of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Training).